When is the best time to go on a cruise? The question is simple but the answer definitely isn’t. For the Caribbean, I’d recommend going on a cruise between December and April, when you’re clear of hurricane season.
In contrast, for an Alaskan cruise, you can really only go between April and October, as the Alaskan cruising season isn’t year-round.
In short, it will depend on a large range of factors, including where you’re cruising, what matters most to you (for example, getting a good deal vs. avoiding crowds), your availability and more.
Here’s everything you’ll want to take into account, before you book, for every popular cruise region across the world.
In This Article:
The Best Time to Go on a Cruise to Get a Good Deal
The short answer? The best time to go on a cruise and get a good deal is any time when most schools are in session.
I always think that cruising is a great way to travel on a budget, particularly if you make a few key, good choices, such as cruising on a more affordable cruise line or opting to only enjoy the amenities included within your fare. It’s also great if you’re cruising as a family or in a group, and want to save money by all staying together.
However, if your budget is your primary concern, then you’ll want to book your cruise for certain times of the year, in order to get the best deal possible.
In general, aim for a cruise itinerary that takes place during the shoulder season, when demand is not as high. Aim to cruise in mid-winter, after the holidays, in the late spring months after spring break has concluded or in the early fall before fall break commences.
Around major holidays and during the summer months, it’s all the more likely that families will be flocking to the cruise ships, increasing demand and cruise fares with it.
Here are a few examples I found from three of the biggest cruise lines:
- For a Royal Caribbean July 2026 7-night Western Caribbean and Perfect Day cruise on Icon of the Seas, departing from Miami, you’ll pay a starting fare of $2,146 per person — in February 2026, the starting fare is $1,665 per person
- For a Carnival Cruise Line July 2026 4-day Mexico from Long Beach, CA cruise on Carnival Firenze, you’ll pay a starting fare of $534 per person – in January 2026, the starting fare is $344 per person
- For a Norwegian Cruise Line June 2026 7-day Alaska Glacier Bay, Skagway and Juneau cruise, departing from Seattle, on Norwegian Encore, you’ll pay a starting fare of $1,655 per person – in October 2026, the starting fare is $1,174 per person
Less Crowded
Cruise ships are massive. One the biggest of them, such as Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas, all can easily fit more than 5,000 passengers on a single sailing.
However, if you prefer a less-crowded cruise, you can try to time your sailing to when cruise ships may not be as hectic and filled to the brim.
Look for cruises that take place during the school year, specifically. This will sometimes lower the number of passengers on board, and at least lower the number of families and children on board, if you’re concerned with noise.
Read Also: Reasons Cruise Passengers Remain on the Ship While in Port
You can also look for cruises that are taking place during undesirable time periods based on weather, such as during peak hurricane season in the Caribbean, or when it’s particularly cold in Alaska or Northern Europe.
Keep in mind, though, that if you really want to avoid kid-filled, crowded cruise ships, your best bet is to cruise on a smaller ship or with a smaller cruise line that prioritizes cruiser space and a low cruiser-to-crew member ratio — or to cruise on with adults-only cruise line, like Viking or Virgin Voyages.Â
The Caribbean
If you’re dreaming of a Caribbean cruise, one major consideration will be the Caribbean hurricane season. Avoid going on a cruise to the Caribbean during this period, June 1–Nov. 30. When you attempt to cruise during the summer, aka hurricane season, you always run the risk of your trip being canceled
If you do find that you don’t mind the hurricane risk, just be sure to buy some travel insurance when you book your trip. You’ll have a little extra money to do so, because cruises during this time period are often more affordable.
You may also want to plan your cruise for the months of hurricane season that are historically less active, storms-wise, such as June or July, or November.
Hurricanes aside, for the best Caribbean weather possible, the summer’s not going to be ideal anyway, with its extra-hot temps. Winter and spring Caribbean weather will be plenty warm enough for you to lounge by the pool.
Read Also: Eastern vs. Western Caribbean Cruise – Which Will I Prefer?
The only Caribbean destination where this is not the case is Bermuda. Due to its northern location and resulting cooler temps, it’s really best to visit in the late spring to fall.
Luckily, this geography also puts Bermuda further out of the paths of many hurricanes, so hurricane season isn’t quite as much of a worry on Bermuda cruises.
Beyond weather, when booking a Caribbean cruise, you may also want to consider the timing of Carnival. Just about every island has a huge Carnival celebration and you may either want to make it or miss it.
Additionally, some cruise ports are going to be particularly busy anyway, during certain months of the year. For example, the busiest cruise port in the Caribbean is the Bahamas’ Nassau cruise port, which sees approximately 3.7 million passengers per year.
In the past, the port has set arrival records, particularly in the winter months, December and February, welcoming tens of thousands of cruisers in a single day.Â
The second-busiest cruise port is in the Mexican Caribbean — Cozumel. Again, it’s welcoming a good portion of its millions of travelers per year between the months of December and February.
As such, if you want to avoid crowds both while you’re in port and while you’re on a cruise ship, you may prefer to avoid the peak winter Caribbean cruise season, and wait until the spring, when you can avoid some crowds, but also stay clear of hurricane season.
Alaska
Alaskan cruises don’t run year-round. Typically, cruise lines offer cruises to Alaska between April and October.
Going on a cruise at the very beginning of the Alaskan cruise season or at the very end of the Alaskan cruise season can mean much colder temperatures.
For milder weather, more daylight hours with which to explore and more wildlife watching opportunities, opt for a peak season mid-summer Alaskan cruise.
That said, if you want the best deal on an Alaska cruise vacation possible and don’t mind missing the whales and other wildlife, consider traveling during those colder months, in the spring and fall.
Read Also: How Much Does an Alaska Cruise Cost?
This is also when you’ll find fewer crowds, as the number of visitors to Alaska in the summer can be staggering.
According to the Alaska Travel Industry Association, in 2023, more than 2.6 million visitors stopped by in the summer, May through September (with the large majority of those visitors coming by cruise).
In Juneau, a popular Alaskan cruise stop, at the height of summer, they can see as many as 21,000 cruise passengers per day.
Europe
Europe is obviously an entire continent so you can’t really say that there’s one ideal time to take a European cruise. The best times of year for a European cruise are all going to depend on where in Europe you’re cruising.
For example, Mediterranean cruises offer excellent weather between the spring and fall, but the mid-summer brings high prices and high crowds. If you want lower crowds and lower prices, cruise earlier or later in the year.
If you’re interested in taking a Northern European cruise, like those that visit Scandinavian regions, you’ll find that, much as is the case with Alaskan cruises, you can’t typically cruise year-round due to the temperatures. Most Northern European cruises operate for the summer and early fall.
Worth Reading: Cruise Port Pitfalls That You Really Should Avoid
The closer to mid-summer you cruise, the better the weather, the higher the prices and the more crowded the ships. In contrast, if you opt for a late spring or an early fall cruise, you heighten your chances of getting to see the northern lights, will enjoy lower crowds and will find lower prices.
And then, of course, there are river cruises throughout Europe. When thinking about what time to take a European river cruise, you need to think about what exactly it is you want to do during your cruise.
Want to check out some German holiday markets? Go during the holidays. Want to sightsee on foot? Plan to cruise during the spring through fall, for milder weather.
In general, wherever you go in Europe, you can expect crowds both on cruise ships and on land to be highest in late summer, around August and early September.
Asia or Australia
It’s equally difficult to nail down one specific time that it’s best to cruise in Asia or Australia, as this is likewise a huge region.
If you’re planning on cruising to Southeast Asia, go during late winter or early spring, when you’re more likely to avoid monsoon and cyclone seasons.
If you’re planning on cruising northward, toward Russia, you need to keep colder temperatures in mind. As such, you may want to cruise in mid-summer.
If you’re planning on cruising around Australia or New Zealand, try September to November, when the weather isn’t too hot and when you’re more likely to avoid crowds, as well as get a good deal.
South or Central America
Again, it’s a huge area, so choosing the best time to go on a cruise to South America or Central America will vary vastly depending on where exactly you’re cruising.
In Central America, the busiest cruising season lasts from the holidays and through the spring, so that’s when you’ll see the most crowds. However, the spring and summer bring rain and the fall brings hurricane season.
So, pick your poison. I personally would pick a wintertime cruise, preferring the crowds and extra demand to the potentially poor weather.
In South America, you can usually find mild weather throughout most of the continent in the fall, with winter temps only becoming a worry if you get down near Antarctica.
Antarctica
And speaking of going on an Antarctic cruise, you may be surprised to find that the best time to travel to this region of the world is actually the winter, as the Northern Hemisphere’s winter months are the Southern Hemisphere’s summer months.
Read Also: Unique Cruise Destinations You Don’t Want to Miss Out On
As such, cruising to Antarctica between November and March will give you the best weather and best wildlife-watching opportunities.
Do keep in mind, though, if you’re eyeing an Antarctic cruise, that many cruises will take you through the Drake Passage, home to some of the roughest waters in the world. It’s generally agreed that November and March are when the waters are particularly bad, but December and January are calmer.
Arctic
In the exact opposite, if you want to take a cruise to the top of the world, you’ll travel during the Northern Hemisphere’s summer, so May to September. This is when Arctic cruises enjoy lots of daylight and wildlife watching, like whale watching.
If you do want to take a wintertime Arctic cruise and see the northern lights, it is possible to do so, but not typically with a major cruise line. Instead, these sailings are often only undertaken by small expedition ships.
Mexico
The best time to go on a cruise to Mexico is in the winter or spring, which is Mexico’s dry season. Doing so allows you to avoid the threat of hurricanes on the country’s Atlantic-facing side (though if you must cruise during hurricane season, you can always opt to cruise on the country’s Pacific-facing side, where the threat is lessened.)
However, do note that the winter and spring are the busiest times to cruise to Mexico, even if it is the best, weather-wise. For fewer crowds and lower prices, cruise in the summer.
Hawaii
When you cruise to Hawaii, you enjoy the tropical vibes of the Caribbean, but without the risk of hurricanes. As such, you might choose to cruise to Hawaii during times of the year — summer and fall — that cruising to the Caribbean is a little riskier. Summer is also a good time to visit Hawaii due to the lack of rain.
Do note that travel to Hawaii in general is more expensive around the holidays and in the summer, but you can find good deals on cruises to Hawaii in the late pre-holidays fall and early post-holidays winter. This is also the best time to cruise to Hawaii for fewer crowds.
New England and Canada
Like Alaskan cruises, New England and Canada cruises aren’t typically offered in the winter months. Instead, cruise lines set sail for these locales between May and October.
The best time to go on a Canada or New England cruise, though, isn’t mid-summer, like it is in Alaska. Instead, try to go on a fall cruise to New England and/or Canada, when you can catch both the foliage and some great cruise fares.
The Best Time to Go on a Cruise with a Party Atmosphere
While it’s not exactly my preference, some cruisers do like to really party when they get on the ship. A cruise, for them, is a whirlwind of all-you-can-drink, all-you-can-eat, all-you-can-swim fun.
Some cruise lines are more apt to have a party atmosphere than others, particularly the more budget-friendly cruise lines, like Carnival Cruise Line.
That said, hands-down, the top time to cruise for a party atmosphere is during the spring, when the college-aged spring breakers are flocking to the cruise ports for affordable getaways.
For Families
Lastly, if you want the exact opposite, and a totally family-friendly cruise where there’s lots to do for the kids, and plenty of opportunities for them to play with their fellow little cruisers in the kids club or pool, go with a summer cruise.
Read Also: Royal Caribbean Kids Club – How Adventure Ocean Works
You’ll find plenty of other families on cruise lines such as Royal Caribbean or Norwegian Cruise Line, and lots to do for the influx of kiddos. Yes, you’ll pay higher prices in many instances, but you may find it worth it.
Anytime is a Good Time for a Cruise
I may be biased, but anytime is a good time for a cruise. That said, it’s not always a good time to cruise, in every portion of the world.
While I might risk hurricane season on occasion, for example, I’m not going to risk a bumpy ride along the Drake Passage on the way to Antarctica when the waters are supposedly at their worst in November and March.
Take all of the above factors — price, crowds, cruise experience and weather — into consideration before choosing the right cruise and right time to cruise, for you.
